Growing Communities

Immigration in St. Louis

Since 1950, the City of St. Louis has lost over half of its population. Immigrants and refugees have supported the city’s numbers and can help it sustain growth.

Immigrants and refugees are also known to contribute significantly to local economies. In St. Louis, immigrants who own small businesses have created hundreds of jobs. Leaders at some of the region’s largest universities and corporations, including Monsanto and Washington University in St. Louis, are immigrants.

Built By Immigrants

In the nineteenth century, waves of German, Irish, Italian, and other immigrant groups fleeing hardship found home in St. Louis. As the city grew in population due to these newcomers, it became known as a center of commerce.

In the 1990s, the city began welcoming Bosnian refugees fleeing conflict there. Bosnian St. Louisans have been credited with revitalizing the Bevo Neighborhood in South City, starting shops, cafes, and restoring housing.

Immigration Ecosystem Map

This map displays St. Louis organizations and agencies supporting Hispanic foreign-born populations. This map identifies six primary areas of support. Many organizations bridge several, and are placed in overlapping circles accordingly.

For organizations that are too far to connect in an overlap, the color text matches the color of the function. Information in this map comes from interviews with agencies and organizations from the map.

“Welcoming the stranger, the immigrant, and the refugee have been long-standing hallmarks of our American way of life and religious convictions.”

Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis, Statement Regarding Recent Executive Order on Refugees and Migrants. January 30, 2017